Players expecting a better NCL this time

Sports Desk 4 October 2019, Fri Published: 02:53

All are set to kick-off the new domestic season with National Cricket League (NCL) beginning on October 10.

The players are gearing up to show their prowess in the most prestigious first-class cricket event of the country. At the same time, they are hoping a better season of NCL this time around.

A total of eight teams will participate in this event. The selectors are busy now to set up the squads. Ahead of the new season, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) set a bar of fitness quality for all the players who are aiming to play in NCL.

According to the players, this stance of the board will help Bangladesh to improve the overall quality of their cricket.

“I think this edition of NCL will be better than before. The way BCB is organizing the event seems to be helping everyone to improve their qualities. As a cricketer, I hope it’ll be a great event this time,” Raqibul Hasan, the right-handed middle-order batsman, told the media on Thursday.

“I’ve been playing really well since the last two seasons of NCL. I’ll try to keep that flow of scoring runs on,” Raqibul added.

Raqibul represented Bangladesh in nine Tests, 55 ODIs and five T20Is. However, after playing a Test in October 2011 at Dhaka against West Indies, Raqibul never got a national team call in spite of scoring ample of runs in domestic cricket.

As Raqibul does, 23-year-old left-arm pacer Abu Hider Rony also believes that this season of NCL will really be quality ground.

“The participation of the national stars will help the junior guys to improve their quality of the game. It is like a dream for them to share the same dressing room with the national players,” Rony told the media on Thursday in Mirpur.

“It will be challenging for me as a pace-bowler because of the wickets of NCL always do better for the spinners. However, things have been turning around since the last two seasons when we saw the pacers ended the even being among the top-wicket takers,” Rony added.

Talha Jubair, the former national star, who is set to take this NCL as his another chance to improve his skills as a coach, also expressed his gladness about the forthcoming edition of NCL.

“There was a time when people used to call NCL a picnic event. But the things were not like that. Everyone put their best foot forward to prove their quality in NCL. I think this time we’ll have a better NCL as the national players will participate in at least two rounds,” Talha added.

Talha informed that Mahmudullah (Riyad) will play in my team (Dhaka Division). The other players are happy to have Mahmudullah in the same dressing room.”

The NCL will be kicked off on October 10 and will be played in four different venues around the country. Before that, the selectors will announce the squads of all eight teams on October 6. Souce: UNB